Bug FAQPhaeton Primrose Sphinx
Euproserpinus phaeton · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Sphingidae
Also called: Phaeton Primrose Sphinx Moth
The Phaeton Primrose Sphinx has forewings 32 to 42 mm long and flies swiftly close to the ground over dry desert washes. Adults are seen only from February to April and are found from California through Baja California Sur into Mexico, with records in southwestern Arizona. Larvae feed on various Onagraceae plants, while adults sip nectar from daytime flowers.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The abdomen upperside shows creamy-white side tufts and a broken white dorsal band. The forewing upperside lacks transverse lines in its middle area. The hindwing upperside has a straight black marginal band with some black scales. The hindwing underside is without black coloration near the base.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Forewing length ranges from 32 to 42 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Caterpillars feed on various Onagraceae species. Adults nectar at flowers during the day.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are active only between February and April.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It occurs in North America from California south through Baja California Sur into Mexico. It has also been recorded in southwestern Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 5 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Texas, Idaho, Michigan, Arizona.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where can I find this moth?
It lives in desert washes and flat areas from California down to Baja California Sur and into Mexico, and has been seen in southwestern Arizona.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Sphingidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euproserpinus_phaeton
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-28 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-28.